The front screen of my phone read 7:32 PM.
It said “Dad” in big bold letters. “Incoming call.”
Joe.
Yeah?
Can your mom take you over to Robert Wood Johnson hospital?
WHY? WHAT HAPPENED?
Just get over here. I want to tell you in person. Nana’s really sick.
He started to cry.
Suddenly, my heart dropped and everything in front of me started to look blurry.
Alright I’ll get over there right away!
I frantically called my mom as she quickly rushed over to my friend’s house and picked up me and my brother.
In the car, everything was silent. Not a peep from my mom, sister or brother. We didn’t know exactly what was wrong. But we knew that it wasn’t good.
We pulled up to Robert Wood Johnson hospital and my dad was pacing back and forth. Right in front of the slide doors. As all three of us climbed out of the car, he took us to an empty parking spot in the back of the parking lot.

He started to bawl.
I’m sorry I have to tell you this guys. But Nana is really sick…She has lung cancer.

All four of us now started to bawl. My sister especially.
WELL IS SHE GOING TO BE OKAY!?

I thought she was going to faint.
Well she’s out of it right now. She’s in bed but the doctors said that by the way she’s acting, they predict she has stage 3 or 4 lung cancer. And that’s without it spreading anywhere. So I want you to go in there and see her. She’s been asking to see you guys all day. So wipe up your tears, and go in there and talk to her. Don’t make any comments on her appearance, or about what she has. Because she doesn’t know yet.

Without saying another word, the three of us hugged our dad and walked into the hospital.

The air was crisp and cool; and smelled like hand sanitizer.

I walked into my Nana’s hospital room and she busted out in tears of joy. She was a lot skinnier than the last time I saw her.

Days, weeks, months went by. I felt like the same disease was haunting My Nana’s body. After trying chemotherapy, radiation and pills to stop the disease from spreading, it continued. As the cancer reached stage four, fear grew in my heart. I couldn’t believe what was happening.
October 4th, 2011. She has a 15% chance of living more than a year.

Chills ran throughout my entire body as I heard the doctor go on and on about My Nana in a black recording device.

The taste of the sweet sweedish fish that I ate an hour earlier filled my dry throat.

Dead.
That was all I could think about. The Nana that took me everywhere. The Nana that bought me everything I ever wanted. The Nana that raised me, and cheered me up whenever I was feeling upset.
Dead.
I knew it was over. Every day I was hoping I would wake up from this everlasting nightmare.

I’m dying my babies.
No don’t say that Nana, keep fighting. For us.
I’ve been fighting.
I know but you have to continue.
I can’t. There’s no fight left in me.

I froze.
I just want you guys to know. I love you three more than anything on this earth. I would give up anything in this world for you three.

I cried.
We love you more.
No. I love YOU more.
Within the Next week, my Nana was in terrible condition. She couldn’t walk, eat and barely could talk. Because of this, my dad wouldn’t let Anthony, Lexi and I see her during her last living moments.
Who would’ve thought that would be the last time I would ever talk to my Nana. Someone I saw almost every day.
November 16th, 2011. Gone. Forever